Combined baseboard and conduit



Oct. 3,1944. c. E. BARNES COMBINED BASEBOARD AND GONDUI'I .Filed April. 11, 1941 l" I uinn 5&1.

INVENTOR.

BY Ghar/es 15 Barnes,

Patented Oct. 3, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE COMBINED BASEBOARD AND CONDUIT Charles E. Barnes, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application April 11, 1941, Serial No. 388,187

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a combined baseboard and conduit, and it consists in the constructions, arrangements and combinations herein-described and claimed.

It is the cardinal object of the invention to provide a combined base board and conduit embodying a floating cove front, permitting the front to be adjustedto a floor which may be settled or drawn away from its anchorage.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a combined baseboard and conduit in which exposed retaining means for securing the front are eliminated.

It is a still further object of th invention to provide a floating front having means for d tachable connection with the conduit,' permitting ready access to electrical Wires and the like housed in the conduit or conduits.

A further object of the invention is to provide a combined conduit and base board in which the conduit is securely fastened to the floor or other surface and the baseboard is vertically movable with respect thereto, eliminating separation between the floor and the baseboard.

A further object is to provide a baseboard that permanently stops draft, mice, etc. Another object is to provide a base requiring no wood grounds in plaster wall for securing base.

An important object is to provide permanent affinity of base and wall surface. This being accomplished by long leg of mounting piece being of greater angle than 90 degrees to bight and when forced into angle formed by wall and floor gives strong spring tension against wall.

Another object of my invention is to provide adequate and concealed wiring facilities to every room regardless of type of base and material customarily used for specific rooms, such as rubber, ceramic tile, asphalt tile, linoleum, wood or steel base and also one material in combination with another material.

Another important additional feature being a flush with plaster outlet box for convenience outlets, switches or jacks for portable telephone connections and slidable telescoping connecting means between it and any of the baseboards described.

Additional objects, advantages and features of invention will be apparent from the following description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a cross section of a projecting type of baseboard and conduit embodying a full floating front.

Figure 2 is a cross section of a modified form shown in Figur 1.

Figure 3 is a cross section of an all-steel base and floating front similar in some respects to the construction of Figure l, but consisting ofv a plurality of racewaysfor accommodating electrical wires, one raceway in top metal molding and one in footmold.

As has already been stated, the principal object of the invention is the provision of a closure front for base conduits which is movable independent ly of the base conduit in order that the front may be neatly and snugly seated against a base support thereby eliminating unsightly and undesired cracks between the base support and the front which occurs during settling of a build-- ing structure.

In all forms of the base-board and conduit, it will be found that the structures embody a floating front structure and in order that this may be more clearly understood, attention is first invited to Figure 1 of the drawing, wherein, a floor base I0 is shown, upon which there is secured a metallic base II. The base II is substantially U-shaped as viewed in cross section, having a horizontal bight I2, a short front leg I3 and a long rear leg I4, the latter having a horizontal right angular portion I-5 lying substantially parallel to the bight I2. The leg I4 is finally bent at right angles to provide a contact strip I6, the

latter lying in a plane aligned with the short front leg I3.

It will be understood that the base II will be formed in a continuous strip mitered at the ends for snug fitting adjustment with a similar strip at the corners of a room, and at suitable spaced intervals, the bight I2 will be provided with an aperture for reception of screws or the like H, for securing the base to a floor. Preferably, the long leg I4 will have a resilience tending to spring snugly against the wall surface I8, and this applies to all forms shown. The base being so mounted, a rigid support is provided for installation of the front, generally indicated at I9.

The front I9 is formed of sheet metal of a length complemental to the length of the base to which it is to be applied, although this is not necessary, and includes a recurved foot 20 having a planiform lower face for contacting a floor surface indicated at 2|. The height of the front I9 is such as to extend above the contact strip I6 against which it snugly engages, whence it is bent inwardly into parallel relation with the portion I5 and thence downwardly as at 22, stopping below the portion I5 and between the leg I4 and the wall l8.

A spring clip 23 is provided upon the inner I justment of the front with respect tothe base,

By the construction of base and front as shown, raceways 25 and 26 are provided and through which electrical conductors may be extended.

As shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the metallic fronts are provided with knock-out portions 2.1, permitting the extension of conductors therethrough for placement of outlets or the like.

The form illustrated in Figure 2 provides for an increased number of race-ways indicated at 40, 42,. and 43. The structure of base andfront is substantially that shown in Figure l, but the foot'ZO' is given a convex curvature to define the race-way 40, and an open metallic top trim 44 forms the raceway 43. Thi figure also illustratesa manner of conducting electrical wires from the raceways and consists of a pipe 45 opening through and secured to the leg [4; the pipe having a slip-fit with a pipe 46. By having aslip telescoping fit between the pipes, threaded connections are eliminated and further quick adjustment as to length may be accomplished.

In Figure 3 amodification of the structure of Figures. 1 and 5 is'shown, and in this instance the base ll will be constructed as described in connection with Figure 1 and similarlymounted to a supporting surface or floor. The front 15 includes azright angular wall 76 arranged in parallel relation to the portion 15 of the base and a right angular-portion 11 extended in the same plane as the leg l4 and aligned therewith.

The front 15 stops short of the bight l 2 and is outwardly flared at its extremity as at 18. The leg I3. of the base is positioned substantiall in alignment with the contact strip IS. A foot 19 is provided, in the form of a hollow moulding having a flange 80 for securement to the outer face; of the front which may be accomplished by spot welding or otherwise. The moulding also includes a right angular wall8| positioned a dis-.

tance from the front 15 slightly less than the thickness of the leg 13 so as to resiliently grip the leg I 3 when inserted between the wal1 8| and the lower portion of the front.

A hollow top trim strip 44' is employed which may have any ornamental shape desired, but will include a front flange 82 for snug engagement with the face of the front and a back flange 83 for contacting engagement with a wall surface, the flange being disposed to the rear of the leg l4. Thus it will be seen that four raceways 40, 4|, 42 and 43 are provided.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that I have provided a base board and conduit structure in which the front may well be said to be a floating one, since it is free to move so as to always" snugly contact the floor surface, eliminating cracks, and thereby obviating drafts, ingress of mice, etc., to a room, as well as affording a neat, trim and sturdy structure.

While I have shown and described preferred constructions, this is byway of illustration only, and I consider as my own all such modifications in structure as fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: 1; In acombined baseboard andconduit, a 'base striphaving a substantially U-shaped formation in cross section defining along leg and a shorttal wall forming a raceway, and said front mem-- -'ber including spring tension means engaging the short legmember, whereby to permit'vertical movement of the front member independently of the base. 7 a

2. The structure of claim 1 in which said lon leg normally extends at an angle greater than.

- degrees to the bight portion, whereby to exert a strong'tensionagainst a wall surface when in operative position. 7

CHARLES E. BARNES. 

